Movable roof drainage system



c. E. JOHNSON 3,182,848

MOVABLE ROOF DRAINAGE SYSTEM Filed June 1. 1962 May 11, 1965 INVENTOR.

CHAR LES E. J'O-H NSON United States Patent 3,182,848 MOVABLE ROOF DRAINAGE SYSTEM Charles E. Johnson, Bufi'alo, N.Y., assignor to Hewitt- Robins Incorporated, Stamford, Conn.

Filed June 1, 1962, Ser. No. 199,499 4 Claims. (Cl. 220-26) This invention pertains to apparatus for draining water from movable roof storage tanks. Many storage tanks, for large volumes of liquid have a movable roof. The roof floats upon the surface of the liquid or is otherwise supported so that it rises and falls in accordance with the level of the liquid in the tank. These roofs move up and down within the walls of the tank. It is necessary that a means be provided for drainage of the roof while the roof is within the tank. It is well known to provide some sort of conduit connected to the center of the roof, to pitch the roof toward the center, and run the conduit through the tank to the exterior. It is necessary, however,

in such an arrangement, to have some flexible hose or flexibly connected pipe system extending between the fixed tank structure and the movable roof.

As simple as the problem seems to be, actually difficulty has ben experienced in providing suitable means for draining the roof. It is known, for example, to use weighted hoses. These often take the form of a hose in which a lead wire is placed as a form of core. In other instances a chain is used to anchor a hose to the bottom of the tank. It is likewise known to use pipes which are pivotally connectedby swivel joints. There have also been suggested combinations of pipe and hoses. Where pipes are used, or combination of pipes and hoses are used, there is a maintenance problem with the joints or connections and often leakage will occur and/ or improper operation of the joint or flexible section. Where hoses alone are used they will often kink or crack or form air pockets which will interfere with the drainage.

to obtain the advantages of a continuous conduit member:

extending from the roof to the exterior of the tank.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a drainage system having the advantage of a single, continuous hose constituting the flexible means interconnecting the roof and the fixed structure yet wherein the hose will not kink or have air pockets formed in it.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a drainage system embodying a flexible conduit which will maintain its proper position during all movements of the roof so that drainage will not be interfered with. These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, sectional, elevational view of a tank drainage means constructed in accordance with the invention in association with a tank of the type with which such means can be employed and showing the roof of the tank in its uppermost position.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the roof having lowered a substantial distance with the tank.

FIGURE 3 is a section along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a section along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a section along line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, right elevational view showing a modified form of structure that can be used.

FIGURE 7 is a section taken along line 7-7 of FIG- URE 6. a

A drainage system for a tank roof, such as illustrated in the drawing, must be effective at all times or water will collect upon the top of the tank. Further, the system must .26 issecured to the roof member 12.

ice

be one by which leakage can be avoided. It is also ve desirable that the system be relatively inexpensive, c( tains relatively few moving ,parts and be easy to inst and maintain.

According to the instant invention there is provider drainage system embodying a continuous member formi the flexible connection'which is seamless, highly fiexit embodies no joint within its length and which can be placed as a unit relatively inexpensively and quickly.

According to the invention there are no rigid me bers interconnected by flexible joints involving packii etc. which must either be adjusted, repaired or replac or disconnected for effecting repair or replacement. stead, as indicated above, when it might become nec sary to effect a repair the single conduit member simply disconnected at its ends and a new one plar in position.

Referring now in particular to the drawing, there shown a storage tank 10. This has a commonly-kno floating roof 12. The roof is of an inverse conical sh: and at its apex isprovided with a drain opening I which may be provided with a screen as illustrated. pipe extends a short distance below the opening wh it is provided with a fitting 16. At the base of the ta there are provided straps 18 which fix a conduit 20. the form of the invention illustrated the conduit 20 i:

.rigid pipe and has a fitting 22 at its inner end. It v be understood that the pipe extends through the side Vi vof the tank. A flexible hose 24, having two end fittin isconnected to the fittings 16 and 22 respectively 2 forms a flexible conduitinterconnecting the roof dr and the rigid pipe 20. Itwill be understood that .flexible hose 24 has the usual end fittings which cooper with the fittings 16 and 22 in the known manner to eif the desired leak-proof connection.

Adjacent the upper fitting 16 a plate-like pivot me:

Arm-like rod has a looped upper end extending through an open 30 in the plate 26 in a manner such that the arm c freely pivot (see FIGUREA).

Adjacent its lower end the arm 28 is provided a an enlarged portion 30. This supports an axle 32. pulley 34 is supported on the axle. The axle and pul are retained on arm 28 by means of a nut 36. A seer arm-like rod 38 having an enlarged end 40 is also pivo' ly mounted on the axle 32. Arm member 38 exte: downwardly from the axle 32 to a point at which it pivotally connected to the bottom of the tank. Jourr like portion 40 receives an axle 44. A lower pulley is supported on the axle 44 and the axle is mounted a pair of brackets 48 and 50. A suitable nut 52 is p vided to secure the axle in position.

It will be noted that the total length of the two a1 and their pivotal interconnection is greater than the 1 tance'between the fixed lower pivot and the fixed up pivot for the two arms when the roof is at its upperm position (FIGURE 1). Thus the two are in a bowed c dition with respect to the roof. Thus when the roof low the central pulley member 34 must move to the left, viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2. The flexible hose mem is selected to be of a length such that it will just go o the two pulleys when the roof is in its uppermost positi Thus the hose member, when the roof is raised, assur the same aspect with respect to the roof and the tank self as the two arms. Furthermore, it will be appar that, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the hose member likewise stay parallel to the two r members during movements of the roof. As a result the hose will alw provide a downwardly extending conduit with respect any water entrapped upon the roof. Also, the hose not kink. Yet it is further apparent that should any :ment of the conduit be necessary it is simply acplished by disconnection of the two end fittings and tituting of a complete new hose. There are no ting joints which can leak or which may be so tight fder to prevent leakage that they will bind. That is, :onnection between the two links and their connections eir supports can be very loose to provide absolute freeof movement. If two connected pipes were used there were a swivel joint in between, the connection id have to be tight enough to prevent either leakage 1e water into the fluid or leakage of the fluid out of the iGURES 6 and 7 show a slight modification which be employed if desired. As illustrated, if desired, )8 such as 54 can be used in association with the pulto further insure that the hose will remain in proper tion.

'hile a preferred form of the invention has been shown in be understood by those skilled in the art that lges can be made within the scope of the appended ns, and accordingly I claim an exclusive right to all :h come within the scope of the appended claims. claim:

For use as a tank roof drainage connection in a ige tank having a movable roof, a pair of arms, ns pivotally connecting said arm-s, a pulley connected 1e latter means and pivotal on an axis parallel to that It which said arms are pivotal, means for pivotally iecting one of said arms to a movable roof, means pivotally connecting the other of said arms to a fixed :ture, a hose extending along said arms and over said ey, means for connecting said hose to a roof drainopening adjacent the connection of saidv one of said 3 to a roof, means for connecting said hose to adminconnection adjacent the means for pivotally connect- :he other of said arms to a fixed structure.

The apparatus of claim 1 including a second pulley iected to said second arm adjacent the means for coning the latter arm to said fixed structure, said hose also nding over said second pulley.

A tank drainage apparatus for a movable roof of 1k which has a drain opening in the roof comprising a of arms, said arms being pivotally connected to each r, a pulley connected to said arms and rotatable about axis of pivotal connection of said arms to eachother, ms for connecting one of said arms pivotally to the of a tank and means for connecting the other of said arms pivotally adjacent the base of atank in such a position that said arms will pivot with respect to each other and with respect to the base and roof about horizontal axes, and in such a position that said arms will have a total length when fully extended with their longitudinal axes parallel greater than the distance between their points of pivotal" connection to. said roof and adjacent .said base, a flexiblehose having means at one end for connecting said hose to a drain opening on a roof of a tank at a location adjacent the connection of said one of said arms thereto, said hose having a portion extending from said means of said hose a distance equal to substantially the sum of the lengths of said arms, said portion extending along said arms and over said pulley between said arms so as to be movable therewith during pivotal movement of said arms relative to each other, means connected to the other end of said hose for securing said hose to a drain connection adjacent the bottom of said tank in such a manner that when said arms are connected to the roof and adjacent the base and said means at said one end of said hose is connected to the roof said portion of said hose extends along said arms and over said pulley in substantially/fixed relationship with said arms and will move with said arms and pulley while being maintained in connection to the tank and the drain connection and parallel to said arms. 7

4. The drainage apparatus of claim 3 including, a second pulley member afiixed to said other of said arms adjacent the means for connecting said other of said arms to the base of a tank, and the relation between said means connected to said one end of said hose and the means connected to the other end of the hose being such and the length of said portion being such, that said hose portion extends along said arms and over both said pulleys and will be maintained in parallel relationship to said arms and over said pulleys during movement of said arms.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,450,758 10/ 48 Laird 22026 2,717,095 9/55 Gable 22026 2,857,072 10/58 Bodley 22026 FOREIGN PATENTS 161,308 4/21 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 

1. FOR USE AS A TANK ROOF DRAINAGE CONNECTION IN A STORAGE TANK HAVING A MOVABLE ROOF, A PAIR OF ARMS, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID ARS, A PULLEY CONNECTED TO THE LATTER MEANS AND PIVOTAL ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THAT ABOUT WHICH SAID ARMS ARE PIVOTAL, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING ONE OF SAID ARMS TO A MOVABLE ROOF, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE OTHER OF SAID ARMS TO A FIXED STRUCTURE, A HOSE EXTENDING ALONG SAID ARMS AND OVER SAID PULLEY, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID HOSE TO A ROOF DRAIN- 